What is Ethernet?

21.04.2024
A+
A-
What is Ethernet?

In daily life, we have all seen the cables connected to modems at home or in workplaces. In fact, the writing “Ethernet” or “LAN” on the modem has caught our attention. So, what is the meaning of Ethernet? Let’s find the answer to this question in detail in this article.

Ethernet is the standard communication protocol that simply connects devices in a wired or wireless network, such as computers, routers, and switches. In simpler terms, it serves as a network protocol for devices to share data among each other. It uses a wired connection to share data among devices in the network and is a recognized standard for data transmission among devices. Because it functions as a protocol for devices to transmit data within a network, it needs a network connection for transferring data between devices.

History of Ethernet

The origin of Ethernet stems back to the 1970s where at the Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center), Robert Metcalfe and his team had worked on it. In 1973 the first experimental Ethernet network integrated in the system that implemented coaxial cables. By the mid-70s, Metcalfe published a paper titled “Ethernet: Stated in his article named “Distributed Packet- Switching for Local Computer Networks”. It was the essential points of an Ethernet connectivity model.

In 1980, DEC, Intel, and Xerox of the DIX consortium completed the Ethernet Version 1.0 specification as a next step in the technology’s evolution. Hence, the first attempt of commercial Ethernet products occurred in 1980, the first version being 10 Mbps Ethernet.

How did the development start?

Started from the progress of Ethernet, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) founded a committee in 1980 to devise the IEEE 802.3 standard for Ethernet. These endeavors produced a IEEE 802.3 standard, which proved existed in 1983. An important aspect of the Ethernet standard was the establishment of boundaries of the data link layer under IEEE 802.3 specification, which included the use of CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection) as the access method.

It established a strong foothold in the market, and its development continued on steadily during the era of 1980s and 1990s. The Ethernet family’s high-speed variants such as Fast Ethernet (100 Mbps) and Gigabit Ethernet (1 Gbps) were brought into the picture to combat the rise in network bandwidth requirements.

As to today, it is the wired technology center. The rate of using it has grown up to be the highest in the world. It has made the World Wide Web to hold speeds of up to 400 Gbps (and faster), and this in turn has become the crux of LANs and WANs all over the web, be it homes, business, data centers, or otherwise.

Ethernet is a network protocol used for data sharing between devices on a network.

How Does Ethernet Work?

It operates in two layers of the OSI model: the physical layer and the data link layer.

The Physical Layer (Layer 1) includes Ethernet’s physical infrastructure; this includes cables (such as Cat5, Cat6), connectors, and switches. This layer defines the electrical signals, medium, and protocols to transmit raw bits over that medium.


The Data Link Layer (Layer 2) is responsible for node-to-node communication. It further divides into two sublayers:

  • Logical Link Control (LLC) manages communication between devices on the same network.
  • The Media Access Control (MAC) sublayer controls how devices gain access to the network and permission for data transmission. It uses MAC addresses to ensure data is addressed to the correct device.


It works by using a combination of hardware (cables, routers, switches) and protocols (rules and conventions for data transmission) to connect multiple devices over a dedicated local network infrastructure, whether it’s a small home network or a large-scale enterprise operation, to provide fast and reliable communication. Over the years, it has evolved to meet higher data transmission speeds and more complex data networking requirements with newer standards.

MAKE A COMMENT

Comments - 0 COMMENT

No comments yet.